Details
What I offer
- a great deal of experience on a wide range of visual art projects
- the ability to pass on skills and unlock potential by working with children in an engaging, interactive and fun way
- a proven track record as an author, illustrator and paper engineer
Images: Putney Park School, Thomas's Primary School (Clapham), Our Lady Queen of Heaven Primary (Wandstead)
My workshops are very much hands-on, incorporating writing, illustrating, designing and constructing. I do show my books and talk about how I combine the text, pictures and paper engineering.
Because of what I do, there will be an element of pop up design. I’m very keen to demonstrate my techniques to the children and to let them have a go themselves.
I encourage the children, with my help and expertise, to come up with their own original ideas and designs, in order to produce a piece of finished work.
I'd also be very happy to incorporate topics of your choice into the workshops.
I like to work with individual classes. The number I can fit in per day will depend on the complexity of the project.
If all of this sounds like what you’re looking for, then do please get in touch.
"John facilitated a Year 6 workshop during which the children had opportunities to manipulate perspective. The results were stunning, as the children produced a series of fascinating and carefully constructed 3D models of mountain scenes. John’s approach was child-centred and engaging, supporting those children who needed extra help whilst stretching those with stronger design skills."
P Fletcher, Stroud Green Primary School, Islington
"The children (and I) were so excited on your return to our school and we were not disappointed. All the children at all levels were fully engaged in a positive approach and able to succeed.
It was a lovely surprise that the task was completely different this time – very unexpected – and showed that a great deal of thought and planning had been used."
Angela Bettridge (Head), Cunningham Hill Infants School, St Albans
"My class was captivated by you and your books and you introduced many ideas that got them involved. The activities were perfectly suited to my age group and I appreciated the way you gave them freedom to creatively explore."
Martin Batchelor, St Agnes RC Primary School, Cricklewood
"The children made some lovely books and brought them to show the rest of the school in our assembly on Friday. We feel that your paper engineering skills brought a very exciting dimension to our week."
Sally Lawrence, St Mary’s Primary School, Bicester
"Thank you so much for your work with us. The children thoroughly enjoyed it. They have made some great pop up creations and any spare moment they have are getting coloured card to do more!. We really appreciate all your hard work planning such a visit.'"
Rowenna Maddox, Thomas's Primary School, Clapham
"John is an enthusiastic speaker and he has a wonderful manner with the children as he invites them into his world of imagination. During class activities, he is able to tailor the lessons for the age group, fully engaging the students while keeping a steady case and an energetic environment. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with him and he has given me lots of ideas to develop pop-up books."
Lyndsey Marcu, Year 4 teacher, British International School, Budapest
"John brought real creative flair to the museum when he devised and delivered a bespoke paper engineering workshop for us. His imagination and original skills really inspired the participants to develop creatively and confidently and his calm and measured approach created a wonderful atmosphere. Thank you John, we look forward to welcoming you back again soon! "
Eleanor Payne, Learning and Interpretation Officer, St Albans Museums
"During our school's Book Week we were privileged to have the author John O'Leary visit our school, not only to talk about some of his books and unusual profession of 'paper engineer', but also to provide a workshop to each class on how to construct a 'pop-up' mechanism. John O'Leary demonstrated the process clearly, and with good humour, making the workshop fun and the technique easy to follow and attainable, even by the most artistically-challenged of us in the class! The children in my Year 6 class were inspired by John o'Leary's own work and were amazed with the results of their handiwork, choosing to continue making their pop-up pages in their spare time, well after the workshop had finished! It was a great experience and one that the children will remember for years to come."
Louise Russell, Year 6 Teacher, British International School, Budapest
Images: British International School (Budapest), Hungerford Primary (Islington)
For the moment, I will consider schools within reasonable distance of North London
Find out more about my books on my website:
http://johnolearyillustration.co.uk/books/
Read about previous workshops here:
https://n4sketchpad.wordpress.com/category/workshops/
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